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G7 minus two: Leaders agree to ocean plastics charter

Five of the G7 nations, without the US and Japan, have agreed to an ocean plastics charter. But will such non-binding measures be enough for the world's industrialized countries to beat plastic pollution together?

Hate crimes, discrimination, inequality and nightmare events like the deadly war in Syria can make us feel that our world is upside down. But these weren't the only urgent issues world leaders had to address. Climate change and plastic pollution are much quieter threats — but relentless and fierce nonetheless.

In the Group of Seven's (G7) closing communique out of Charlevoix, Canada, on Saturday, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom pledged to combat ocean pollution through a G7 Ocean Plastics Charter. The United States and Japan declined to put their names on the resolution.

The charter outlines a "resource-efficient lifecycle management approach to plastics in the economy," which includes working toward making all plastics recyclable by 2030, reducing single-use plastics and promoting the use of recycled plastic. It also pledges to build out recycling infrastructure, and innovate around more sustainable technologies.

Greenpeace International Executive Director Jennifer Morgan lauded the signal, but called the plans tepid. "While the leadership to outline a common blueprint is good news, voluntary charters focused on recycling and repurposing will not solve the problem at the source," Morgan said in a statement.

"Governments must move beyond voluntary agreements to legislate binding reduction targets and bans on single-use plastics, invest in new and reuse delivery models for products, and hold corporations accountable for the problem they have created," Morgan continued.

Although many are welcoming the initiative, it won’t be the first time world leaders have expressed good intentions around tackling the issue. In the past, it hasn't gotten much further than that — an intention.

Despite several voluntary multilateral agreements against marine pollution, plastic waste continues to accumulate in the oceans. Almost 800 animal species are affected by marine debris, marine animals keep dying as a direct result of plastic, and microplastics have spread to the world's most remote areas.

Up to 5 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year, amounting to almost 10 million plastic bags per minute , a recent report from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) indicated.

Environmental groups are urging adoption of legally binding rules and stronger national plans against plastic waste. Only then will the shaking of hands and nodding to one another at the G7 summit amount to something for the planet.

A history of good intentions

Plastic is not a new topic for world leaders. In 2015, the G7 in Germany launched an action plan to combat marine litter, which was then reaffirmed in 2016 in Japan and further discussed in 2017 in Italy.

Even back in 1995, more than a hundred governments committed to protecting the marine environment from the impact of land-based activities. Since then, many agreements, strategies and action plans have followed.

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Living Planet: Brits take action on plastic

Living Planet: Brits take action on plastic

Reducing marine pollution is among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the United Nations Environmental Program launched its Clean Seas campaign last year to cut down on the use of microplastics and single-use plastics.

A zero plastic waste charter could seek to reduce plastic waste worldwide by motivating G7 countries to develop national strategies and work together with industry for more easily recyclable plastic or alternatives to it, as well as to support better waste management in developing countries.

But including more than abstract goals in the charter proved a huge challenge. Getting G7 countries to commit to timelines and targets was essential, said Ashley Wallis, water program manager with Environmental Defence Canada. Ideally, this would include reducing plastic pollution 85 percent by 2030, she told DW. However, such a commitment ultimately proved a step too far for some countries.

Other doubts over the charter also remain. When asked for further information, Marilyne Lavoie — spokesperson for the Canadian environment office — gave DW the sparing answer that "the charter will be discussed among leaders during the summit."

Two days ahead of the summit, a spokesperson for the German environment ministry told DW that the ministry had not even heard about the plastics charter. The ministry added that it will evaluate any plastic initiatives once it has informed itself with regard to them.

The United States is also not likely to bring the topic forward. As a sign of how the Trump administration stands on plastic pollution, in August 2017 it revoked a ban on the sale of plastic water bottles in national parks such as the Grand Canyon.

National efforts first, but not only

Despite the elusiveness of a global plastic pollution charter, nations have already begun to battle the problem.

More than 60 countries around the world have introduced bans and levies to curb single-use plastic waste, the UNEP report shows. Kenya and Rwanda are two of 25 countries having introduced national bans on plastic bags in the African continent, which is home to most countries with such a ban.

The slow-growing trend towards plastic bans

Supermarkets without plastic?

Under proposals put forward at the beginning of 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May says she is hoping to eradicate avoidable plastic by 2042. Her outline plan to create a "cleaner, greener Britain" includes a suggestion to encourage supermarkets to introduce plastic-free aisles.

The slow-growing trend towards plastic bans

Shopping time

Attitudes towards plastic bags are changing across Europe. Governments in many countries including Luxembourg and Denmark have slapped a tax on single use carriers, while individual supermarkets in Germany are increasingly removing them from their shelves in favor of more durable reusable alternatives.

The slow-growing trend towards plastic bans

A step beyond

Kenya went a step further in August 2017, when it made it illegal to produce, sell or use plastic bags in the country. At the time it came into force, the nation was estimated to be using some 24 million bags a month. Anyone violating the restrictions faces up to four years in prison or a fine of €31,616 ($38,000).

The slow-growing trend towards plastic bans

All wrapped up in…

Zimbabwe has also made changes to its packaging policies. It has outlawed styrofoam containers for fast food in order to create space for more environmentally-friendly alternatives such as paper or corn-based containers. Ahead of implementation, snack bar owners were encouraged to offer their customers a place to sit in and eat.

The slow-growing trend towards plastic bans

Clean ears equals dirty beaches

The Scottish government has announced plans to outlaw both the sale and manufacture of plastic-stemmed cotton ear buds, which all too often are flushed down the toilet and end up in the sea. Alternatives made entirely from biodegradable materials would still be allowed.

Promising initiatives are on the rise elsewhere, too. Costa Rica, for instance, aims to ban all single-use plastics by 2021, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Also India has announced intentions to abolish single-use plastics by 2022. And the EU took a major step earlier this year by requiring that all plastic packaging be reusable or recyclable by 2030.

Of G7 countries, only three have in place national regulations to reduce plastic pollution. France is leading the way in Europe with a current strict ban on non-compostable plastic bags, as well as on all single-use plastic cups, cutlery and plates by 2020.

The United Kingdom is working to ban plastic straws, stirrers and plastic earbuds. Italy banned plastic bags in 2011 — it has reduced its plastic bag consumption by more than 55 percent since then — and will soon ban plastic earbuds and microbeads in cosmetics.

Such national measures are a key step in addressing plastic pollution, Khan said. If G7 countries establish domestic rules, any overarching agreement would be secondary, she added.

For the fight against plastic pollution to be effective, binding goals would come first, followed by national plans to achieve those goals and being backed up by a global plastic convention, the German Greens political foundation Heinrich Böll Foundation stated in a report.

Along the same lines, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that European and national measures will not do enough to help the seas.

The ugly face of plastic pollution

The age of plastic

Plastic is lightweight, durable — and wildly popular. We've produced 8.3 billion metric tons of the material since mass production began in the 1950s. Because it doesn't easily biodegrade, much of what we've made now lives in landfills like this one on Nairobi's outskirts. Rubbish pickers there hunt for recyclable plastics to earn a living. But a lot of plastic also ends up in the ocean ...

The ugly face of plastic pollution

Rivers of plastic

Some 90 percent of plastic enters marine habitats via just 10 rivers: The Yangtze, the Indus, Yellow River, Hai River, the Nile, the Ganges, Pearl River, Amur River, the Niger, and the Mekong. These rivers run through highly populated areas with a lack of adequate waste disposal infrastructure. Here, a fisherman in the Philippines removes a fish and crab trap from plastic-filled waters.

The ugly face of plastic pollution

A plastic welcome to the world

Some animals have found uses for plastic waste. This swan nested in garbage on a Copenhagen lake that is popular with tourists. Her cygnets hatched surrounded by waste. It's not the best start to life. But for some animals the consequences are much worse ...

The ugly face of plastic pollution

Deadly consequences

Although plastic is highly durable and can be used for products with a long lifespan, such as furniture and piping, about 50 percent goes to disposable products, including single-use cutlery and six pack rings that end up in the natural environment. Animals, like this penguin, are in danger of becoming entangled and dying as a result.

The ugly face of plastic pollution

Eating plastic

Other animals mistake the material for food. This albatross chick was found dead on Sand Island in Hawaii with multiple pieces of plastic in its stomach. According to one study of 34 seabird species in northern Europe, Russia, Iceland, Svalbard, the Faroe Islands, Scandinavia and Greenland, 74 percent had ingested plastic. Eating the material can lead to organ damage and blockages in the gut.

The ugly face of plastic pollution

Whale killer

Even larger animals aren't immune to the effects of consuming plastic. This whale was found struggling to breathe and swim in a Thai canal. As rescuers attempted to save the animal, it vomited five plastic bags and later died. During the necropsy, vets found 80 shopping bags and other plastic garbage had clogged up the whale's stomach, so the marine creature could no longer digest nutritious food.

The ugly face of plastic pollution

Visible and invisible plastic

We're well aware of the large pieces of plastic bobbing on the ocean's surface, as is pictured here off the Hawaiian coast. But did you know, trillions of tiny particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter are also floating around in there? These particles end up in the food chain. Sea plankton, which are an important source of food for fish and other marine animals, have been filmed eating them.

The ugly face of plastic pollution

An end in sight?

Tentative measures to cut down on disposable plastic have already been taken in some African countries with bans on plastic bags, while the European Union is looking into prohibiting single-use plastic products. But if current trends continue, scientists believe there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic on the planet by 2050.